"I just wanted to have fun in the video," Ciara told Rod 2.0. "I wanted to go back to when guys weren’t too cool to slow dance and everyone had the best time at a great house party. Not the largest house party but just fun. And I had to shoot it in Atlanta."

The release of the "Body Party"music video coincided with Billboard's new tracking formula and has helped the track catapult into the top of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "The clip, which premiered on the first day of the chart's streaming tracking week (April 22), garnered 3.8 million U.S. views in its first seven days," reports Billboard. There are now more than 6.3 million views exactly two weeks after the music video's release.

Listen to the interview:

Hopefully the new sound and the buzz around the new single—and a "soon to be released" second single, she promises—are a winning strategy. The Atlanta-born singer released her debut studio album Goodies in 2004. The album produced three huge singles "Goodies", "1, 2 Step" and "Oh". The second studio album Ciara: The Evolution shot to Number One and produced several more hits, including "Get Up" and "Like a Boy". In less than ten years, Ciara has landed 10 top ten singles on Billboard’s Hot 100, sold more than 7 million albums, won a Grammy, three BET Awards and three MTV Awards. Not bad for 28-years-old

"Ciara" will be her fifth studio album—track listing and pre-orders at iTunes—and is scheduled for a July 9 release. "I started working on this record more than a year ago," said Ciara. "Since then, I have found my creative clarity on the direction I wanted to go."

08 November 2011

One of this fall's most anticipated new music releases is Lalah Hathaway's Where It All Begins (iTunes). The critically acclaimed musician, songwriter and vocalist's sixth solo album and second for Stax Records dropped two weeks ago.

Born Eulaulah Donyll Hathaway, Lalah has often been referred to as the "First Daughter of Soul" because she is the daughter of the iconic Donny Hathaway. But the title has been earned: Lalah Hathaway released her self-titled album in 1990 and since then has become a Grammy-nominated artist, featured on more than a dozen soundtracks. Hathaway's trademark sultry voice stands out among a cluttered musical landscape of over-produced and over-sampled "singers".

Where It All Begins is a stylistic and artistic homage to the late and great Donny Hathaway. Lalah covers his classic song "You Were Meant For Me" with a beautiful contemporary tribute. Oh and aficionados of both father and daughter will love, love the deliciously retro cover: It's a collage of Donny Hathaway album covers ... with images of Lalah.

"I wanted the music and art to reflect my love of art," Lalah tells Rod 2.0. "I wanted the CD to look like an album. You know the type that we grew up with, the albums that you would take in the bathroom and read," she adds with a deep, infectious laugh.

"Sometimes it is difficult to [cover] my father's music," she explains. "Sometimes people are crying while I’m singing, so that gets to me. But [this] was an easy song to cover. The color of the song … it fit in so well with the more uptempo [direction] of this record. My friend John Stoddart came in and orchestrated. He made it so beautiful. My intent is to pay homage to the original and also to create a new standard."

Lalah also opens up about the now-famous "Unsung" episode that TVOne devoted to her father. "I didn’t watch it for a very long time and then I [finally] watched," she says, somewhat quietly. "It’s always interesting to watch something that you [personally] saw played out. I wished they focused more on my father’s contributions to music. But I understand that his story is very compelling. Ultimately it brought his music to more people."

Hathaway is known as a more sultry and jazzy singer. Where It All Begins is more mid-tempo and sounds like a departure for Lalah ... but she says it isn't. "It may sound like a different sound to you but to me it isn’t a different sound," Lalah tells R20. "It feels very reminiscent of the first album that I released. It’s an expansion on what I do naturally, but to everyone else it sounds different. But my intention [was] to do something brighter and with more color."

28 October 2011

Catching up with the fabulous VV Brown, one of the UK's most captivating new voices: The 27-year-old has songwriter-fashion model has returned with new music and is about to embark on an American tour.

"Children"—listen and download at iTunes—is the deliciously catchy first single from Lollipops & Politics, the eagerly-anticipated second album from the singer-songwriter-fashion model VV Brown. The track was released digitally in the U.S. last month. Lollipops & Politics is due early next year

"Children"begins with an ice cream truck hook and builds into a message of youth empowerment and justice. "I was outside in a car park and an ice cream truck drove by," VV Brown tells Rod 2.0. "I took out my iPhone and we sampled it. I ran to the studio, put in the computer and [we] wrote a song around the sample."

"Children" is perfect first course for a track listing of pop ballads and mid-tempo songs that emphasize politics and social justice.

"It was important that we wrote a song that had a message, the questions of the youth and what’s going on in the world at the moment," VV tells R20. "It's about having hope despite the economy falling. And I liked the idea of the ice cream truck. I’s fun and youthful, but twisted and has a dark meaning. “

"Children" debuted at around the same time of the London riots and became an anthem. "There was so much going on, and the youth on the street were talking, especially where I live in Hackney," she tells R20. "You could feel it in the air. When the riots happened, you could hear the song. The youth are frustrated."

Lollipops & Politics is the follow-up to VV's 2009 debut Travelling Like the Light. The third single "Shark in the Water" which also focused on social justice sold 500,000 singles in the U.S. and was featured on several commercials and the soundtrack to The Backup Plan. That's an incredible debut.

"We were lucky," VV tells R20. "It was just ridiculous. But I’m very grateful the first album received so much critical success."

12 January 2011

Your first look at the cover art for Late Nights & Early Mornings, the much-anticipated first solo album from British soul singer and songwriter Marsha Ambrosius. The Liverpool-born artist was formerly one-half of Floetry, the English neo-soul duo which had hits with "Floetic" and "Say Yes" on both sides of the pond.

"They're calling it controversial, can you believe that?" Marsha told Rod 2.0 on Tuesday evening. "This is not controversial. It's just two Black men in love. To me and to my friends, it's completely normal."

ROD 2.0: The boys are loving you for the "Far Away" video. For the first video on your solo album, you could have done the usual, bling, fancy house, hot guy. Why this?

MARSHA AMBROSIUS: Thank you so much. One of my very good friends was going through something with his life and his relationship. I just wanted to be a good friend. It was hard to see them go through this with their lives and when they attempted suicide ... it was one of the worst things possible. As far as the concept for the video, I just wanted to make it as pure and loving as possible.

What’s most interesting about the video is how you set it up. At first, we thought he would be your boyfriend.

MA: Right. When you watch a video, you can only tell so much of a story in four minutes time. But in "Far Away" you can watch it again and again and learn something new. You say, "Oh, they’re just friends." Then you say, "Oh, that’s his boyfriend."

Already this has had a much larger impact than I thought it would. So many people are loving that they are so open in their relationship, and, they are two black men. Openly in love, not hiding. I didn’t realize it was something that had not been shown before. This is not controversial. It's just two Black men in love. To me and to my friends, it's completely normal So I wanted to be as honest as possible.

When you dropped the video last week there was a huge explosion on Twitter, Facebook and Rod 2.0.

MA: I saw that, it am overwhelmed. Thank you! I had no idea it would be this huge. I knew it would be something ... but not like this. I am really glad that people are connecting with the "Far Away" video. These things… gay-bashing, homopobia, bullying, suicide … it’s all in the news.

Since the very beginning, even with Floetry, my core audience has been predominately gay. I’ve had so many people tell me that my work has been influential to them. Or that they could relate or were in a similar situation. So I wanted to give something back for those whose stories weren’t told. Or if they did have a voice … it wouldn’t be heard. I’m honored that so many people are connecting with the song and the video.

Marsha talks about homopobia on both sides of the Atlantic—and watch the amazing "Far Away" music video— AFTER THE JUMP ...

More than 80 nations have laws that still criminalize same sex behavior, according to UNAIDS. And 58 countries criminalize HIV transmission or use existing laws to prosecute people for transmitting the virus. "The trend is even more pronounced across Africa and the Black Diaspora," said Joel Gustave Nana, executive director of the Johannesburg, South Africa -based African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (ASMSHer).Nana spoke with Rod 2.0 at the press conference organized by the Global Forum and UNAIDS.

The prosecutions are arbitrary. The stigma, discriminatory laws and criminalization of HIV transmission encourage the spread of
this disease. Why should someone seek testing or medical
advice come forward if you could be arrested? There is no incentive to come forward and seek help in a repressive atmosphere.

In most countries [in Africa] they have come to understand there is a hidden epidemic. In the continent we now have 14 countries out of 54 that include men who have sex with men in their national strategic plans. It doesn’t mean the services will be delivered to those populations, but it is an acknowledgment which is a step. I have been seeing in some countries ... they know that MSM exist and they are starting not to disturtb them. Slowly there are starting to address these groups and issues … it’s a result of the growing visibility of
MSM on the continent.

What about Kenya? They were the first African nation to include MSM in their national IV strategy and there are a number of Kenyan MSM peer educators at AIDS 2010 ...

Kenya is starting to look like one of the countries that we should look up to. There is a growing LGBT movement. There is an HIV movement that is more open to include MSM. Yes, you could say there is a strong MSM movement in Kenya. It is one of the few countries countries in Africa where a MSM organization was able to place an ad in the newspaper for the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17. I do think that Kenya is starting to look like one of the few success stories in Africa, in terms of successfully integrate MSM into HIV prevention.

24 May 2010

At the beginning of 2009, Macy Gray was on the verge of becoming "The Sellout.” After selling more than 15 million albums and one of the most successful singles of all time ("I Try"), she was alone and a free agent after the disappointment of 2007’s Big. "So I thought I should make something very commercial. You know, something for the 14 year olds," Macy told Rod 2.0 during a short phone interview last week. "Maybe a dance track or a 'guest rapper.'"

Then she pauses. "A producer—I mean a big one—his first suggestion to me was to straighten my hair and get a weave. We didn't even talk about music, just my hair." Macy laughs in her signature raspy voice. "Please!"

In other words, Macy considered selling out. Thankfully she didn't and now The Sellout is the Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter's first album in more than 3 years. The
Sellout will be released June 22 and features 12 new songs, much of it co-written by Macy in studio space that she rented. "This is about me, returning to what I love, music," Macy Gray told Rod 2.0.

R20: You probably won't remember, but we met twice before. At the old Body & Soul in New York City, in the early 00s.

MG: Oh baby yes! I remember! (LAUGHING) That music was fantastic. I danced so hard ... I left that party soaking wet. (LAUGHING) I was looking for a club like that in LA but i couldn't find anything like it. What happened—did they close ?

R20: Yep, after 9/11, it was just blocks from the Trade Center. They re-opened much later, but it wasn't the same.

MG: I went back to New York looking for it a few times but couldn't find it. And no one knew what as I talking about either (LAUGHING), I was like, 'I know there was this great party on Sundays, what happened?' Yeah it happens, parties open and close.

R20: I saw you on Leno this week performing "Beauty and the World." It's an amazing track. The set was phenomenal and that 90 degree camera angle...work!

MG: Oh did you notice that? I really liked the set they designed for me on The Tonight Show. I borrowed it from something John Lennon did. They did an amazing job
bringing it to life. It totally fits the song's message of peace and love—which we need more of.

[Watch Macy Gray rehearse "Beauty in the World" and behind-the-scenes at The Tonight Show—and perform her new track "Lately"—WHEN YOU JUMP ...]

R20: I love it. It has an early 70s vibe, almost Sly Stone.

MG: (LAUGHING) I love Sly. I try to work him in everything. In
almost every song. He was one of my inspirations

R20:There's an interesting story about how you started in music. Was it really to impress a college boyfriend?

MG: I started writing songs to impress a boy. He had a little four-track studio in his room and I said,. 'Yeah, I write songs!' I would nod and pretend to follow along but then I got really good at it. But when you're writing songs, someone says, 'How does that go?' so you have to sing the lyrics. (MACY HUMS) Like that.

Watch Macy Gray rehearse "Beauty in the World" and behind-the-scenes at The
Tonight Show—as well as talk The
Sellout, jazz, gay youth and her
new Tyler Perry film—WHEN YOU JUMP
...

05 May 2010

Estelle has become the template for transatlantic music success. In 2004, the West London-born singer-songwriter burst onto the British R&B scene with "1980" and "Free" from her debut album The 18th Day. After winning the MOBO for "Best Newcomer" and a number of other awards, Estelle gradually managed to slightly repackage her distinctive sound for American audiences. Signed to John Legend's HomeSchool, produced by Will.i.am and featuring a guest vocal by Kanye West, Estelle's 2008 US breakthrough
hit "American Boy" earned her a Grammy Award. Quite impressive.

Now based in America, Estelle is getting her freak on with the David Guetta-produced "Freak"—the video is fierce and Estelle gives a special shout-out to Rod 2.0—the first single from her forthcoming album All of Me. "We're looking at a late August or early September release," Estelle tells Rod 2.0. "And another single or two as well."

So the same wholesome London girl who sweetly sung about American boys is now singing ... "Kiss him, slap him, pull his hair"? We discussed this, as well as Estelle's new video, ballroom voguing and "the kids" over an extended phone call last Friday. At times it was a little difficult to follow because of her accent—which is very lovely—but she was a doll.

ROD 2.0: Love, love, love "Freak. " But why do you want to slap the man? Was this Tiger Woods you were singing about?

ESTELLE: No, no. (LAUGHS) This was just a different part of me. I want to do an album that is a little schizophrenic ... sweet, sad, upbeat, freaky. All the different parts of me. I wanted to do an
album with my different personalities, all 20 of them. I think
everybody has it in them or at least the potential. People are either surprised by it, they love it or they don't get it.

R20: The video is high concept—the space suit, voguing and runway. How many wardrobe changes did you have?

ESTELLE: Wow .. at least four or five. My back was in pain from all the outfits and the bubble suit ... it was sooo heavy. And the director had me leaning against that guy for so long. I was standing there so long, I was about to freak him. (LAUGHS)

R20: You should have,
he was hot. (LAUGHS) That necklace you were wearing is hot. Is it Paloma Picaso?

R20: Good luck with that. The jewelry, outfits and Naomi Campbell walk was fierce. You were giving us the
Latex Ball in New York Part 2.

ESTELLE: Ohmygod, I never had so much fun.
I've been here for three years and always wanted to attend the balls. So
many of my friends are gay and hang at the balls and I finally went. So
much fun. Those kids are so talented and creative—they taught me to
walk. Absolutely! I never had so
much fun. Some of those kids were dipping and dropping so hard, pure fun. I love the balls.

Estelle talks her new CD, gay audiences stateside vs London plus watch the new "Freak" video AFTER THE JUMP ....

22 April 2010

The independent artist and singer-songwriter created
a huge buzz with his single "Mr. Ordinary" and has been favorably compared to neo-soul favorites such as Maxwell and D'Angelo. But the raspy voice and sometimes soaring falsetto is so reminiscent of a younger Marvin Gaye or Al Green. And while many brand new artists would consider a contract with Def Jam and working with Ludacris the virtual equivalent of hitting the Powerball, the Houston-area native walked away from it. "There's always room for growth," Steph Jones tells Rod 2.0. "If there isn't, you're settling and I don't like to settle."

The singer slash songwriter originally began his career as a model. Signed to Ford and featured in numerous national print and television campaigns. After leaving Def Jam/Disturbing Tha Peace, Jones began marketing himself through social media. It all began on My Space before Steph Jones segued to his YouTube channel which now has almost a million views. And of course there is StephJonesMusic on Twitter, where he is über-popular and constantly updates his status, uploading photos from the red carpet, out at dinner, and the occasional shirtless
Twitpics that have become #TrendingTopics. Steph also regularly broadcasts and even takes requests on UStream.

Jones has also become one of the very few younger male R&B singers to embrace a gay fanbase—especially at the beginning of his career. "Mr Ordinary" was featured on the "DL Chronicles" soundtrack. Steph also participated in photographer Adam
Bouska's striking "No H8" campaign, spoken out for equality and against homophobia. We discussed all this on a short phone call ...

STEPH JONES: I love that photo and was happy to do it. A friend of mine hit me up and asked to do it. I didn’t hesitate and I'd do it again. If you believe in something, you have to stand up. I am not
about to
intrude on anybody else' s happiness because they'll take away someone else's rights next time. And I don’t
want to hear about how it used to be. "Back in
the day" we were picking cotton. Now we have President Obama.

R20: It's refreshing to hear that point of view, especially from a new jack in RnB. There's so much pressure to be gangsta and homophobic to gain street cred.

STEPH JONES: That's a problem in American culture and African American culture. There are a lot of insecure people, insecure straights, insecure gays. And to be honest, a lot of the insecure straight bullies ... they're probably fighting something on the inside. Ya feel me? But if you look at a lot of these singers and celebrities, they've been given a gift. So much power, such a platform and many waste it. That's why I want to reach out to everyone, all people, black, white, Latino, gay, straight ... people helping people.

16 July 2009

Clarence Nero is the new urban literary hotness. Maya Angelou has described Nero as "one of our most promising young authors." Beyonce Knowles wished Nero good luck on his book from the set of Dreamgirls. Nero's second novel, Three Sides to Every Story, was a scorching love story with an unapologetic black, gay aesthetic set in fabulous, pre-Katrina New Orleans. Johnny, the college football star whose father is a prominent anti-gay mega-church pastor (sound familiar?), prefers to be discrete. James is unashamedly gay and flamboyant. The unlikely love story of Johnny and James returns for the sequel Too Much of a Good Thing Ain't Bad, which just dropped from Broadway Books. Read a sample chapter here and continue reading the review for your chance to win a free copy of the book.

Too Much of a Good Thing Ain't Bad picks up immediately after Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans. Johnny and his family relocate to Washington D.C. and Johnny attends Wheatley College, "one of the top black schools in the country" and rival to Howard University. James moves into Johnny's apartment, which immediately causes friction because Johnny is pledging his father's fraternity. "I accepted James for who he was and loved everything about him, but sometimes he was just over the top with his fashions and exotic hairstyles. That shit was embarrassing to me. Can you imagine walking down the street with a six foot man sporting pink and blue hair and wearing high platform shoes?"

Add Sheila Doggett to the tension, the "pretty dark skinned sistah with the tight ass body: and Harvard MBA. Sheila was introduced to Johnny by family members who are intent on "turning him on the straight and narrow." Oh and coincidentally she is James' boss at the school where he works as a teacher's
aide, and, intent on getting him fired.

13 April 2009

Stylist extraordinaire Lloyd Boston has offered fashion advice for the past decade to millions through his books such as Men of Color and Before You Put That On, as well as numerous television appearances on shows such as Oprah, Today and The View. Boston finally lands his own television style show Closet Caseswhich premieres tonight 10/9c on Fine Living Network. Lloyd Boston took a few minutes to speak with Rod 2.0 about his brand new series, which he describes as "a refreshing oasis on style television."

What's taken so long? I'm surprised you didn't have your own show years ago.Good question. I've had a slower rise for getting my
own show than other stylists because my philosophy is different. I'm showing women and men what they are doing right and showing them where they can improve. So
many of the other style guys have gotten there faster by pointing out
the negative. I want people to feel good about themselves. Not like they are being judged.

Let's talk about the title "Closet Cases" ...At first I was like, "Yikes!" This would be the show to come my way! But I have always been very clear and direct about who I am, personally, and my life. So I thought it would be great to have some fun with the double entendre since it's a double makeover show. I get an opportunity to give a person a great look and also to make some changes with their living space.

Describe the show. What will we experience tonight?Closet Cases is easy-going. It's for women and men
who love fashion and style television but do not want to feel like they are being beat up. I'm not going to stand over your closet and ridicule. The show will be a refreshing oasis on style television. My goal is to be your new BFF: Best Friend in Fashion. I'm taking you to Fashion Week with me, we're going shopping, editing your own closets ... without
making you feel bad.

Black gay men and fashion. Discuss.I love the fact that black gay style has not been homogenized. There is still inventiveness. If you look closely you can see where feminine
meets the masculine in details. It would be easy for many black gay men to "hide" under baggy hip hop clothes but many do it with a little feminine twist. Rod, and this is something you have talked about on your blog—Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, John Legend, all of these huge names are clearly influenced by the black gay community in terms of style and aesthetic. Black gay men should be applauded for their contributions. It's not easy to wear that badge in a community that may be hostile.